Toon Warriors
by raccoonqueentwo
Summary: When an ancient evil vampire threatens the existence of the Toon World and the human world, a group of toons are burdened with a task to save both worlds and drive away the darkness!
1. Prologue

Hey, guys, raccoonqueen here. I decided I'd take another crack at publishing a new collaboration project with my old friend Charles Roberts. Like the TTC and TFS sagas (which are, sadly, still not reuploaded), it's a crossover adventure where the characters fight against a force attempting to conquer both the Real World and the Toon World. I hope you guys like it!

**DISCLAIMER**: The characters included in the series belong to Warner Bros., Hanna-Barbera, MGM, Disney, Nickelodeon, Dreamworks, Sega, Nintendo, DC, Marvel, 20th Century Fox, Sony Playstation, and all the rest. Charles Roberts, Alexander Armington II, and other related characters belong to Charles Roberts (a.k.a Dragon222 of DeviantArt). Jennifer Silverfur belongs to me.

* * *

Prologue

It was once written in a prophecy that a team of two worlds would unite against a powerful force of darkness. Their hearts would be beacons of hope to those caught in the madness; with sword and dagger, fist and foot, the two warriors will drive away evil and bring back peace to the world. Yet, as with all other prophecies, this one has yet to come true.

An ancient enemy, one who has eluded even prominent vampire hunters like the Belmonts, had returned after many years in the Dark Realm. Having regained the strength and power he had possessed at the time the prophecy was written, he began his quest to consume the world in total darkness. His goal was to ensure that every living being on the earth knew his worth as lord and master of his empire-his corrupt empire. Nothing will stand in his way...except for one team.

In an alternate world where humans and toons dwell in peace, a human-cat-dragon hybrid formed a team dedicated to eradicating that same threat and upholding peace in the realm. This is the story of the Toon Warriors, guardians of the Real World and the Toon World!


	2. Chapter 1

Here's Chapter 1. Please keep in mind that I tend to elaborate some scenes well; if I have a kind of twisted sense of imagination, like what you'll see when Rayian devours a rat whole, that's okay. And don't be upset about the ponies turning into vampires, 'cause the heroes (who we'll meet in the next chapter) will come to save the day!

**DISCLAIMER**: The characters included in the series belong to Warner Bros., Hanna-Barbera, MGM, Disney, Nickelodeon, Dreamworks, Sega, Nintendo, DC, Marvel, 20th Century Fox, Sony Playstation, and all the rest. Charles Roberts, Alexander Armington II, and other related characters belong to Charles Roberts (a.k.a Dragon222 of DeviantArt). Jennifer Silverfur belongs to me.

* * *

Chapter 1

There exists, beyond our borders, a world unlike anything we've ever seen before. The Toon World is a place made for toons and inhabited only by toons; whatever cartoon, film, or comic book you're thinking of, its characters live there. It's a beautiful place, filled with light, love, peace, and everything else that's good in the world.

But there is another world, a realm so sinister not one toon has dared to set foot inside...the Dark World. This is where the biggest, baddest, vilest, cruelest toon villains were banished to after being convicted of their crimes, and the ruler is perhaps the most dangerous villain of all-Lord Rayian Fox. In the days of old he was the king of the vampires, the scourge of Eastern Europe, and apparently the last of his kind; his species of vampire foxes had since been exterminated by vampire hunters, who were more than persistent in taking down the threat that had been terrorizing the villages of Romania for the past years alone. After one of them killed his wife, Rayian managed to escape them in time, but he was stopped in his tracks by a priest who called himself the Keeper.

Thus the vampire king was banished to the depths of the Dark World, remaining there for all eternity. Rayian angrily vowed that he'd be back to avenge his defeat someday, but the Keeper reassured the villagers that it will never happen; in the years to come, he prophesied, there will be those destined to be a "team of two worlds"; they would become the saviors of both mankind and toonkind, sworn to protect the defenseless from Rayian's wrath.

Hundreds of years had passed since Rayian was sent to the Dark World. Having been reborn with the help of his new wife Belladonna (queen of the demon dogs), he sought to rebuild the empire he had once lost. His realm was a flawless replica of his old homeland; it was devoid of life, with grey skies and countless fields of thorns. Still, Rayian was never satisfied with the boundaries this land had, its only citizens being the villains who willingly agreed to serve their new master. Looking ahead at the Toon World from far away, he knew what he must do to fully satiate his desire for a new kingdom: take away the light the toons have and replace it with total darkness, all with a single vampire bite. He, being a true vampire himself, _hated _the light; knowing of the prophecy the Keeper had made, he swore to make sure the future heroes will never do anything to conserve the main source of the toon citizens' happiness and safety. If everyone in the Toon World were vampires like him, his dreams of rebuilding the empire would be complete, but even better if his plans happen to extend beyond that world and into the human world. And that's how it all began...

* * *

Within the sewers beneath the castle, a rat scurried about through the pipes. Upon reaching the throne room where the ancient vampire fox sat, the rodent whispered in his ear informing him of his wife's return from the farthest regions of the Dark World.

"Your service to the royal family are very much appreciated," intoned Rayian, his deeply accented English reverberating through his lips. "In return for this piece of news, I hereby accept your sacrifice."

The rat bowed deeply and answered in a raspy voice, "It is a great honor, Your Highness. Digest me well."

Rayian grabbed the rat, sucked the blood out of its disheveled body, and swallowed what remained of the old rodent. He looked up just in time to see his beautiful demon dog wife stroll casually into the room, with two tough-looking demon bulldogs acting as her bodyguards; she carried around a leather pouch containing her souvenirs from her journey. He said, "It warms my cold heart to see that you have safely returned, my rose."

"Sorry to keep you waitin', hon," replied Belladonna, setting her pouch down. "But I've got some news. All this time I kept hearing about you wanting to get your old empire back...and you do want it back, right?"

"That is my intention. It's not only to regain the power and wealth I once had at my prime-before that _dreaded _Keeper came along-but it will also give me the chance to take what belongs to the toons on the other side and make it mine. It has been more than a hundred years since I was sent away to a world, of which I rule to this very day, and I wish to make no further delays; soon, and very soon, I will have both worlds in my grasp and this time no one in either of them will be able to stop me."

"Both worlds...?"

"The Toon World isn't the only dimension I have my eyes on. I have heard there is yet another dimension that belongs to non-toons, 'humans' being a better term for them."

Belladonna reached into the bag and spread out a set of tarot cards. She said, "Then you're gonna like what I brought back for you today. See these cards? Miz Ruby was having a spring cleaning garage sale, and she asked if I was interested in purchasing this pack of rare tarot cards. And for a great price, too! The reason they are rare is that they have a special power-it can summon any evil entity you want to do your bidding."

Rayian nodded. He examined the cards one by one; each card had a portrait representing a villain from every part of the toon universe. He asked, "Which world do you suppose we start with first?"

"That would be Equestria," answered Belladonna. "There are four princesses who rule over that region-the most recent one being Princess Twilight Sparkle."

"Hmmm...that world appears to be ripe for vampire ponies." He moved the cards around, until he selected the one that stood out apart from the others. "He will do."

Belladonna suggested, "Why not King Sombra? He is a vampire, you know."

Rayian shook his head. "Technically, but he has not yet mastered his true powers; it will be another hundred years before he achieves that goal. Besides, if the ponies knew I sent a villian pony like King Sombra or Queen Chrysalis, then they will know I was the one behind the events they had caused. So Nosferacho the Vampire Tick is the right person for the job."

The castle, despite its ancient interior and exterior, had been outfitted with modern amenities Rayian used to contact his servants; among the ones he chose from the tarot cards, he decided to hire Nosferacho. Going over to the telescreen and pressing a button, Rayian called out, "Nosferacho! This is your master Rayian Fox. Do you read me?"

_"I read you loud and clear, Your Highness," _answered Nosferacho. _"What is your request this time?"_

"There is some new blood I want you to go after and it's in Equestria. It is currently ruled by four princesses who go by the names of Princess Celestia, Luna, Twilight and Candace. You know what to do."

Nosferacho chuckled. _"Ohhh! It's so bad to try out new blood! CatDog was lucky I did bite Dog but not Cat, and I am not happy about that. But new blood? Well, like I say, I will try anything-even royal pony blood. I've ALWAYS wanted to know what the princesses' blood tastes like."_

"That's good. I will send you the portal to their world. Take your minions with you, and do not fail me."

_"You have my word. See ya on the flipside, Your Highness!"_

The telescreen turned off and Rayian turned to his two children, Rayian Jr. and Jane. Both were vampire fox-demon dog hybrids with an appetite as voracious as their father's. He continued, "Rayian Jr., Jane, both of you go to the Toon World and see what you can find there. You will act as my spies; I want you to be on the lookout for those so-called 'team of two worlds' the Keeper told me about long ago. They are supposed to show up the moment I make my plans for returning from the Dark Void, and your job is to make sure they do not foil them. Do I make myself clear?"

Rayian Jr., a demon dog with red-and-white fur and red eyes, stepped forward and nodded. He replied, "Yes, Father." His younger twin sister, a vampire fox with greyish-purple fur and blue eyes, agreed.

As the two left, Rayian and Belladonna went over to a crystal ball that dipicted the land known as Equestria. Rayian said, "This, beloved, is where we will observe the action from a safe distance. Once our children do away with the heroes, whoever they may be, they will set the stage for my grand entrance. But for now, we must sit back, relax, and see what Nosferacho can do with the ponies of Equestria..."

* * *

Today was just like any other day in Ponyville. Derpy Hooves, unaware of what is what's going to happen to her, was delivering mail with a happy and cheerful smile on my face. At that time a portal opened from out of nowhere and Nosferacho and his minions arrived. He laughed and said, "Aha! Perfect timing! And what could be a better way to start the pre-world invasion party by starting with the main course?"

"Boss," said one of his minions. "Is that a pony or a flying pony?"

"Did you fools not hear me?! I will bite anything! Species don't matter much to me nowadays! Now, AFTER HER!"

Derpy was just close to the last mailbox in town when the vampire ticks attacked her. Never once did she notice them until they started biting her on the neck; they were just like regular ticks, but their bite was annoying. Thinking it was a swarm of flies, Derpy swatted at her neck trying to eliminate the seemingly invisible threat, to no avail. The minute the vampire ticks were done with their feast, the mailmare was completely drained of all of her blood and she was feeling woozy.

"Finally!" chuckled Nosferacho, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "I've never had a more satisfying meal this side of the Dark World!"

The minions said, "You said it, Boss! But on the other hand...uh, is it just me or did we inherit her dumbness as well?"

Nosferacho facepalmed. "Never mind about the low I.Q.! She's stronger and smarter now thanks to the new, _ahem_, 'upgrade' we bestowed upon her. Now, onwards to Manehattan! My stomach's not gonna be very empty for long!"

Not long after the vampire ticks left, Derpy had undergone a slow and painful transformation into a vampire pegasus. Abandoning her "former" job, she flew back to her home to show her husband and daughter her special surprise for them.

Everywhere Nosferacho went in Equestria, it was a disaster. From Manehattan to Appleloosa, from Cloudsdale to Canterlot, the sudden surge in vampire epidemics was alarming. The princesses were getting concerned about the sudden outbreak; there was no cure for such a mysterious disease and numerous vampire ponies of all three types showed up in the population every few minutes.

So far, the only citizens safe from the epidemic were the Mane Six (minus Twilight) and their new friend Fireblaze; at that time, he and Rainbow Dash were teaching Scootaloo how to fly. Just then, Applejack came running towards them.

"Twilight wants to meet us at Canterlot," she said. "This is an emergency!"

Fireblaze stopped what he was doing and stood at attention. He said, "We'll go. Scoots, I'm afraid the flying lessons will have to wait; go with your friends at once to the safe house."

Scootaloo protested, "But Fireblaze, I-"

"No buts. It's too dangerous for you to stand out here alone. I'll have R.D. take you over to where Applebloom and Sweetie Belle are. And don't worry, the guards there won't let a single vampire pony hurt you."

"Vampire pony? What is a..."

Before she could finish her sentence, Fireblaze and Applejack had already left. At that moment Derpy arrived, with Doctor Whooves and Dinky now newly vampirified. She exclaimed, "There they are!"

Rainbow ordered, "Scoots. On my back. _Now_."

The young pegasus filly nodded and hopped onto her mentor/big sister figure's back. With a flash, Rainbow zoomed off towards the safe house, just as Dinky was about to chomp onto her new victim's neck. The vampire filly threw a big tantrum knowing she had failed.

"Never to worry, my sweet," said Doctor Whooves. "There are still other ponies to bite."

Meanwhile, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Fireblaze arrived in Canterlot, where Princess Twilight was waiting. Also with her were Celestia, Luna, and her sister-in-law Cadence. Celestia said, "This is just as we feared-the rapidly growing vampire epidemic has started to claim many lives. Although safe houses have been established to protect those most likely to be vulnerable, the vampire ponies seem to be developing ways to get around the safety measures and catch the victims they missed."

"Have you tried warning the other leaders of the Toon World about this?" asked Fireblaze.

Twilight shook her head. She answered, "I'm not sure if the epidemic managed to somehow leak into other dimensions, but we'll know once the news is out. For now, our only way out of this mess is to figure out a way to save Equestria..."

_"...and the entire universe as well."_

The ponies, startled by a mysterious male voice, turned towards a corner of the room. From the shadows emerged an elderly badger, dressed like a monk with an eyepatch on his face and various charms around him, and in his paw was a large wooden staff engraved with strange symbols. Rarity asked, "Who in the world are you?"

"I am the Keeper," the figure replied. "I have come to warn you of a great evil ahead."

"Evil?" muttered Applejack. "You don't mean somepony's responsible for all the vampire ponies that keep popping up everywhere, like worms on a rotten apple?"

"An excellent comparison, young one. Yet you do not know the true nature of the epidemic that has since taken root in your world. He...has risen again. The king of all vampires..."

They looked at him in confusion. He continued, "I thought I had locked him into the Dark Void hundreds of years ago, but it seems he may have broken the seal. Now he has returned, even more stronger and more powerful than he was back then; he plans to take back what he lost by shrouding the Toon World in darkness and spreading his epidemic to every single dimension, and eventually to the human world. My efforts in restraining him have failed...however, there is still hope. If what my prophecy said is true, then the vampire epidemic will not last."

He brought up a scroll, upon which he had drawn a creature that appeared to be a cross between a man, a cat, and a dragon; surrounding the creature were small drawings of figures that, to them, represented several familiar toons. "This is what I seek, a band of warriors chosen to drive back the vampire king's forces; they have destinies of which they are not yet aware of, nor of the hidden powers or abilities that they hold. I urge you to find them if you can, but you must hurry-his dark presence extends from the very corners of your world even as we speak..."


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2! Whew, I'm really on a roll! This is where things get serious...

**DISCLAIMER**: The characters included in the series belong to Warner Bros., Hanna-Barbera, MGM, Disney, Nickelodeon, Dreamworks, Sega, Nintendo, DC, Marvel, 20th Century Fox, Sony Playstation, and all the rest. Charles Roberts, Alexander Armington II, and other related characters belong to Charles Roberts (a.k.a Dragon222 of DeviantArt). Jennifer Silverfur belongs to me.

* * *

Chapter 2

Equestria, now completely overrun by vampire ponies, lost the magical charm it had before the invasion began. Just as the vampire ticks sucked the blood out of the victims' bodies, so did they suck the vibrant life out of the environment around them. Not even safe houses were effective against them; no matter what the uninfected survivors did to protect themselves, their wits failed to match the vampire ponies as, one by one, they lost their blood and their free will.

Nosferacho had just finished feasting on Diamond Tiara when he spotted a flock of ravens soaring in the darkened skies. Rayian and Belladonna were on their way! The vampire tick could hardly contain his excitement, as his lord and master walked past walls of bowing vampire ponies. He thought of how pleased he would be once he hears the conquest of Equestria is nearly complete; the last thing to do was to catch the princesses and their castle.

"Your Highness!" he exclaimed. "Let me be the first to welcome you to your new home! Do you like what I did with the place? Huh? Huh?"

Rayian looked around him. Thousands of vampire ponies, unicorns, and pegasuses smiled approvingly at him. Belladonna said, "Hmph, not bad. Could use some new architecture, though; those buildings are lamer than Annabelle's library."

"All in due time, my rose," replied Rayian. Turning to Nosferacho, he continued, "You have done well, but the conquest is not yet complete. The castle lies up ahead; the four princesses are the last ponies left standing."

The vampire tick minions spoke up. "Uh, Boss, don't you think it's a bad idea to suck alicor-"

Nosferacho punched the minion hard. He roared, "You DARE underestimate me?! Sure, they are alicorns, but even their blood is deemed irresistible, and there's a good reason why."

Rayian looked interested. "Irresistible, you say?"

Nosferacho hopped up onto the vampire king's shoulder and whispered in his ear. What he told about the princesses' blood astonished him. "Their blood...MAGIC BLOOD?!"

"That's what I've heard," answered Nosferacho. "Rumor has it that the alicorn princesses hold powers unlike anything you could ever imagine, and sucking their blood will render you entirely invincible!"

"Indeed. But, if I were to bite them, would they be turned into my new servants?"

"...eh, not exactly. The last time Tirek was here and he drained the princesses of all their powers, they were weak and helpless. They could die if deprived of their abilities..."

"...and if they die after I bite them and take away their magic blood, and I get to claim their title..."

Realization dawned on Rayian's face, and it gave him an idea. He said, "This makes it even better! Nosferacho, you are free to conquer the next region in the Toon World. I have a date with royalty."

The vampire ticks scuttled away, leaving Rayian and Belladonna alone with the vampire ponies. The vampire king smiled; when it came to taking over the most magical realm in the Toon World, this was too easy. He declared boldly, "Citizens of New Romania, heed my words! I am Lord Rayian Fox, your new emperor, lord, and master. This is a day that shall not be forgotten, the day when darkness rules the land. The princesses you have known and worshipped in the past life are dead; from now on you will answer to no other authority figure but me and my beautiful queen. Your new lives as vampires begin the moment I claim the throne, and anyone left behind without being drained of their lifeblood will never be able to escape. So begins the birth of my newly recreated empire, but ah, this is only just the beginning...there are other worlds out there, waiting to be assimilated into my realm. Let it be known that I will not rest until every man, woman, boy, girl, or animal in the Toon World and human world have gained a great desire to drink the blood of their enemies, find joy in the darkness of night, and live out the rest of their lives as vampires...FOREVER!"

The vampire ponies cheered and stamped their hooves happily. Gazing outside the castle, Applejack spotted Rayian coming towards his destination, and knew right away that there was no time to waste. She returned to her group and said, "He's on his way! We'd better hightail it out of here before that critter catches sight of us!"

"Then the quest to find the heroes must begin at once," replied Princess Celestia.

Twilight and Flash Sentry examined the Keeper's scroll. Flash said, "The man-cat-dragon creature looks pretty odd."

"That creature is Charles Roberts," answered the Keeper. "Known as one of the most efficient warriors of his time, with the powers of the Red Dragon. The other creatures surrounding him are other individuals who, in the past, have worked to bring much good to the world. Only those with pure hearts are chosen to hold the powers of the Crystals of Light."

The group watched as the Keeper brought out a bunch of colored transparent crystals, all pulsating with glowing lights. Rarity commented, "Those colors...they remind us of the Elements of Harmony we have used before."

The Keeper nodded. "They are all that I have. Vampires like Rayian despise the light; in this way these tools will help greatly in wiping out the vampire epidemic and bringing peace back to the two worlds. Finding their holders might not be easy, as they at first will be unwilling to accept their destiny."

The Mane Six, princesses, and their boyfriends looked at one another. Princess Luna said, "With the epidemic fast approaching the Toon World, it seems we have no choice. Take those crystals."

As they did so, they heard a loud banging on the castle doors, and Rayian's voice growled from within. The Keeper said, "There is no time to lose. Rainbow, Fireblaze, both of you make your way to the human world and locate Charles; you will find him in Detroit. Bring this crystal to him the moment you see him."

The two pegasuses nodded. Pinkie asked, "What about the rest of us?"

"You will find the others," answered Princess Celestia. "Each of you will pair off in teams, and set off in different areas of the Toon World to locate the ones depicted in the Keeper's scroll. As for me, my sister, and our niece, we will try to hold our fort down and prevent Rayian from feasting on our blood. If he gains our powers through that method, he will be rendered totally immune to all existing attacks."

The Keeper nodded, before opening a portal for the group to go through. The portal closed up just in time, as the castle doors broke open and Rayian ran in. He said, "Princesses...your royal highnesses...or, should I say, 'soon-to-be-ex-highnesses'?"

Princess Celestia stood protectively in front of Luna and Cadence. She replied, "Take our powers, if you must, but you will _never _take our throne!"

"On the contrary, dear princess, you have lost the battle. Your subjects have since sworn their loyalty to me and only to me, your guards are useless, and there is nowhere left to run or hide. The time of my coronation grows near...surrender yourselves to me now and allow me to drink your precious blood."

The princesses continued to glare at him. Two of the unicorn guards appeared beside the vampire king. Luna shouted, "Guards! Capture that repulsive creature and take him away!"

Suddenly, a dark aura surrounded the alicorns and they were frozen in place, unable to move. Rayian chuckled and said, "Cute. But I'm afraid you are misinformed; for one thing, you DO NOT mock my prowess as the king of the vampires. I am no mere criminal you can lock away for the offenses I've committed in my time, for it is _you _instead who will be behind bars. Until you can come to an agreement to give up your magical blood, I will have to do this the hard way, to break your spirits-a lifetime in Tartarus will do well for you."

This shocked the princesses, as they have once been sent to Tartarus when Tirek took over Equestria, yet Princess Celestia remained firm and unmoved by the threat. "Even when we are imprisoned in the depths of the Underworld, we will still have our dignity. Once the heroes are found, you will fall, as Tirek did before you."

"Say it isn't so. Guards, take the princesses to Tartarus and do not let any one of them escape. My wife shall do the rest."

The unicorn guards shapeshifted back into their vampire forms and answered in unison, "As you wish, Your Highness."

As soon as they were gone, Rayian looked about the room and chuckled evilly. Coming across a throne room, he spotted an empty throne, and went to sit in it. He said to himself, "Rayian, you are a genius...an evil genius..."

His dark aura began to fill the entire throne room. Thorns grew all around the castle, spreading through the rooms like kudzu, and eventually extending out across Canterlot. By then skies were completely filled with dark clouds and, sure enough, thunder and lightning flashed. Vampire ponies went about their duties, searching for new victims to drain, as Rayian's cruel laughter echoed across the land. Equestria has fallen.

* * *

A portal opened in Detroit, Michigan on a seemingly quiet summer night. Rainbow, Fireblaze, and the Keeper ended up in the alley; the brick walls were lined with trash cans and there was not a single soul in sight. Even surprisingly, Rainbow and Fireblaze discovered they have been transformed into humans.

"Hey!" shouted Rainbow. "What's the big idea? We didn't ask to trade in our wings for arms!"

The Keeper explained, "That is your disguise for now. What's important is seeking the leader of the team."

"Easy for you to say. But where the hoof IS Charles?"

"If I know my creator," said Fireblaze. "He got a job and it's a good one too. So he should be on his job right now."

Rainbow blinked in disbelief. "You...him..._he's _your 'creator'? How is _that _even possible?"

The sound of blaring sirens filled their ears and they turned to see a speeding police car whizzing past them. In the front seat was a man in his early 30's chasing another car.

"Calling all units!" he spoke into his comnunicator. "I am in pursuit. Four bank robbers just infiltrated the Chase Bank on Woodward; I will need further backup in case of emergencies. Over!"

"Backup are on their way, over and out," replied the dispatch operator.

Rainbow, Fireblaze, and the Keeper looked on. Fireblaze said, "That's him! Charles Roberts! I could recognize him from a mile away!"

"He looks kinda busy," replied Rainbow. "We're gonna have to wait 'til he busts those crooks."

The Keeper shook his head. "I have forseen their end. Come." He then teleported himself and his friends to a spot near the pier, where the robbers had crashed into a pole. The man came out, pried the car door open, and pulled out their leader. The leader pleaded, "P-Please! Don't hurt us!"

"Of course, I won't," he replied, slamming the handcuffs on him. "But you and your boys will be doing time in the maximum-security prison for robbery. You have the right to remain silent..."

The rest of the police force came to take away the suspects. The man was about to get back into his car when he heard a noise and a voice saying, "Charles? Charles Roberts?"

He turned to see a male orange-haired human teen walking towards him. He was stunned to see his character appearing before him. He muttered, "What in the...Fireblaze?! Am I even dreaming?"

"Nope," answered Rainbow, as she and the Keeper caught up. "This is the real deal."

The man, named Charles, scratched his head. First his OC, now his favorite character from _My Little Pony_, and an old stranger showed up; he must definitely be dreaming! He said, "You're _not _real! You're _not _supposed to be real! You're just a...a...a cartoon!"

"Oh, really? If I were a cartoon, would I do this?"

She proceeded to dope-slap Charles, but the Keeper held her back. He said, "Let him alone, young one. He needs time to adjust."

Charles stared at them for a while. "Ooookaaay, this is weird. So...why are you here? And how did you know my name?"

"It's a long story," replied Fireblaze.

The Keeper explained, "Hundreds of years ago, a vampire by the name of Lord Rayian Fox once terrorized the villages of Romania. His reign ended when I cast a spell to send him to the Dark Realm and seal him away...only to have failed when he escaped years later. Prior to his return, he sent his most faithful servant Nosferacho to infect every single pony in Equestria with the vampire virus and turn them into vampires; I fear he may have taken over the princesses' throne as well. And with the virus spreading into the Toon World, the rest of the dimensions-including your own-will soon fall under his control."

Charles laughed. He said, "Vampires? Yeah, right. Talk about believing in such fairy tales. You know vampires don't exist." However, he stopped when he realized they weren't laughing with him. Finally, he sighed, and relented, "Fine, fine, I get it. But I'll only believe you IF you can prove vampires really exist."

Just as he said that, a group of twenty vampire animals materialized around them and, from among the, Rayian Jr. and Jane appeared. Rainbow said, "You were saying?"

"After them!" ordered Rayian Jr.

The vampires attacked, leaving the four to try to defend themselves. Charles kicked four vampires away and did a roundhouse kick to the other two; Rainbow Dash and Fireblaze, still possessing their own moves and powers, used a Sonic Rainboom to blow half of the vampires away. The Keeper used his staff to cast spells on the rest, and light-based powers to drive them away.

"It's the Keeper that Father's been warning us about!" growled Jane. "His staff can melt a vampire with a single flash of light! Shall I take it away?"

Rayian Jr. only smiled and replied, "I have a better idea. Minions, bring out our champions to deal with the furball."

Rainbow and Fireblaze became shocked. They knew exactly who the "champions" were-Mordecai and Rigby, who had been turned into vampires back when Nosferacho's vampire ticks invaded their world. Fireblaze exclaimed, "Mordecai? R-Rigby? HOW?"

"Mordecai, Rigby," said Rayian Jr., pointing towards the Keeper. "Dispatch the rodent at once."

With a bloodthirsty hiss, Mordecai and Rigby pounced on the Keeper. Rainbow, Fireblaze, and Charles watched in horror as the bluejay and raccoon proceeded to tear into the badger, their claws and fangs digging into his fur and skin. Weakened and injured, the Keeper fell to his knees, clutching his bleeding chest, just as Jane simply walked over. She snatched the staff away from him, saying, "I'll be taking this, thank you very much."

They ran over to the Keeper's side. Charles shouted, "Sir! Are you okay?"

"M-My staff," the Keeper coughed. "The Holy Staff of Ycelia..."

"Belongs to us!" Jane finished the sentence, laughing derisively. "You won't be ruining our fun with this piece of junk any more!"

Charles picked up the Keeper and slung him over his shoulder. He turned to his new friends and said, "Follow me. There should be a hospital nearby." With that, the trio ran off, with the vampire herd following behind in hot pursuit.

Jane examined the staff and purred delightedly. She murmured, "Ooh, Daddy's gonna be WAY over the moon when he hears about this!"

Rayian Jr. answered, "A true treasure to behold. So this must be what he used to banish our father into the Dark World."

"I say break it! Break that stick to smithereens, and maybe then he won't be able to do it again!"

He growled at his twin sister. "Only I alone can give orders, not you! Now, come, let's make haste back to the Toon World. I hear Father is throwing himself a coronation feast in Equestria..."

Meanwhile, the trio barely made it to the hospital. They were exhausted and out of breath, but there was no way to escape the horde. Rainbow groaned, "Now what? We're tired, our feet hurt from running so hard, and now we're about to become vampire chow!"

The Keeper slowly raised his head up, closed his eyes, and waved his paw around while chanting in a foreign language. Charles asked, "They're almost here. What do you think you're doing?!"

"Shhh," hushed Fireblaze. "I think he might be up to something, perhaps another magic spell."

The vampires were getting closer and closer to the heroes. One of them, a vampire dog, leapt out and was this close to pouncing on Charles...

...when a laser bullet shot out and knocked it back into the group! Charles turned around to see two adult cats running towards them. One was a male cat with light-brown fur, wearing a white trenchcoat with a plaid green deerstalker cap; the other one, a female, had silvery grey fur and was wearing a modern version of her traditional detective garb minus her deerstalker cap, all brown and in plaid with a purple shirt, black shoes, and a crystal hanging on her necklace. The male cat complained, "We left off our biggest case in New York...just for this?"

"More shooting, less talking," replied the female.

Charles blinked. This cat reminded him of someone else he knew. He was even more shocked when more people rushed in from out of nowhere to fight the vampires: a raccoon in a red-and-yellow sweater, a cat and a dog with their bodies attached together, a squirrel/human hybrid and a purple skunk, and a bunch of talking dogs. And if that wasn't shocking enough, the rest of the Mane Six appeared with their boyfriends; like Rainbow and Fireblaze, they too became humans. Pinkie cried cheerily, "The calvary's heeeeeerrrre!"

Enraged, the vampire horde began to strike back. Spike yelled, "The light! Bert, use the light!"

"What light?" the mentioned raccoon questioned. He tapped at the crystal a bit, trying to see how it worked. A great big blast of light shot out, knocking the wind out of him; the light flashed towards the vampires and the creatures screamed in agony before melting into a pile of dust.

All fell silent in the streets for a few soul-searching minutes. The female cat looked around, just to make sure the coast was clear. Putting away her laser pistol, she said, "Well...that was quick. If it weren't for us, you'd all be hungry for blood by now."

"Uh, thanks, I guess," answered Fireblaze, rubbing the back of his head. He bent down to help Rainbow up. "R.D.? How are you holding up?"

Rainbow replied, "Save for a couple of scrapes, I'm all right."

"I just don't get it," said the raccoon. "We were all brought together here by some strange magic portal. But for what reason?"

Charles looked over at the Keeper, who was now close to fainting. He said, "I'm sure this old man might have some answers."

Soon, they were gathered around in the recovery room. Despite efforts to cure the Keeper of the bites and claw marks, nothing was done about keeping him alive for much longer; this prompted him to explain all he could about Rayian's plan and what to do about it. He said, "Rayian is the single most powerful being in history; he has already overtaken Equestria and is now in the proccess of transforming the rest of the Toon World. That's where you come in...your destinies are intertwined, not just with each other, but with the universe itself. Among the inhabitants of both the Toon World and the human world, you are the only ones to whom I can entrust the Crystals of Light, knowing your pure hearts have shielded you from whatever harm his minions may have inflicted upon you."

"Let me get this straight," said the female cat. "You want us to protect this world, and ours, from that Dracula lookalike? If so, what's the catch?"

"There is no catch. These crystals hold a power so great, no one else is worthy to wield them. Their light is the main key in restoring the worlds you have lost during the invasion."

Charlie commented, "Come to think of it, that sounds like it would be a good plan, but I'm not sure if we'd be prepared for such a responsibility."

Turning to Charles, the Keeper continued, "Charles Roberts...the end of my time on earth draws near. I ask that you take good care of this group and lead them to victory; it will be your only chance to redeem your world from the vampires. Just remember that there may still be hardships and challenges you will come across along the way, though I know you will succeed."

"And the vampires...?" asked Charles.

"Avoid them at all costs and be prepared to fight if they stand in your way. They are very clever, and may manipulate you in many different ways-they may even trick you into falling into their trap by shapeshifting into your loved ones."

"That's reasonable."

"And that goes for the rest of you, too. Be wary of who you run into on your journey, use your crystals wisely, and above all else...never, ever give up. Take this as my final going-away present; my spirit will always guide you as you venture forth to defeat Rayian's dark kingdom. Farewell, my warriors...until we meet again..."

Just after the Keeper died, a bright glow illuminated the room. His soul rose from the bed and split itself into several parts; each one merged with the souls of the would-be heroes, becoming one with them. Charles had never seen anything like it before, and he was amazed.

They finally left the hospital. The female cat caught up to Charles and said, "I'm sorry about your friend."

"I'll be all right," replied Charles. "After all, I've only known him for literally two hours. I never expected this to happen, even in my years in the Detroit police department."

"I work at a police department, too, way out in the Toon World."

"...you do?"

The cat smiled and extended her paw for her to shake. "Det. Jennifer Silverfur, at your service. You can call me Jenny. It'd be a great honor working with you, Mr. Roberts."

Charles smiled, shaking her paw. He replied, "Likewise."

Introducing the cat next to her, she continued, "And this is Super Snooper. He works at the same police department as I do; we sometimes work together on exclusive cases and mysteries...like the one we were close to solving before the vampires showed up."

"No offense, but you sort of remind me of another 'Jenny' who lives in Los Angeles."

The cat blinked in confusion. Snooper whispered, "What is he talkin' about?"

"My creator," she answered. "Not that I'd want to meet her someday. There are more important things to worry about."

A portal back to the Toon World automatically opened, and the heroes filed in. Charles looked back behind him; this would be the last time he would see his hometown before he left for a new world. He took a deep breath, before going to see what's on the other side.


	4. Chapter 3

After this chapter I'm going to take a break to focus on another story. I'll be back eventually.

**DISCLAIMER**: The characters included in the series belong to Warner Bros., Hanna-Barbera, MGM, Disney, Nickelodeon, Dreamworks, Sega, Nintendo, DC, Marvel, 20th Century Fox, Sony Playstation, and all the rest. Charles Roberts, Alexander Armington II, and other related characters belong to Charles Roberts (a.k.a Dragon222 of DeviantArt). Jennifer Silverfur belongs to me.

* * *

Chapter 3

The next thing he knew, Charles was in New York City. It resembled the New York he remembered back in the human world, except that it was populated with nothing but toons. He didn't know what to make of the new place; here he was, a human being, surrounded by the characters he knew from the films, TV shows, and online fanfiction he had seen. Charles pinched himself to make sure he was truly dreaming, but flinched when he felt something sharp pierce lightly into his side. He examined his hand, only to learn that in its place was a furry paw...with claws. He then touched his face and found that it was also all furry, too, and when he gazed into a reflection on the ticket window he let out a surprised cat-like screech.

"I'm a cat," he stammered. "I-I...I'm a cat...I don't believe this!"

He looked behind himself and found what appeared to be a red dragon's tail sticking out of his butt, its scales gleaming in the sunlight. This both intrigued and puzzled him at the same time; has he turned into his own fursona? He continued, "I'm a cat...with a dragon's tail..."

"Welcome to the Toon World," said Jenny, coming over towards him. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you what would happen if a human entered the portal. Your physical appearance will change according to the dimension you have arrived in, but the only thing that it doesn't change is your memory. Anyway, now comes the most crucial part of becoming a toon-citizenship."

Charles looked around and asked, "Where are the others?"

"At a safe house. We'll meet up with them later, after we help you get settled in."

She and Snooper led Charles through a warehouse-sized establishment. Snooper said, "Every new person who comes to the Toon World must pass a series of tests, which is required to gain entry into the realm. That's why this building is here; the Interdimensional Immigration Center is where most of the action takes place."

"Is it like the Border Patrol back home?" wondered Charles.

Jenny answered, "In some ways, yes. But very recently, for reasons stated by the Keeper, security around the Toon World's borders have beefed up."

They passed by a weasel, who was being interrogated by a small group of IIC officers. They pried his mouth open to examine his teeth with a flashlight. Jenny continued, "With the vampire epidemic threatening to overtake the world, those seeking to enter the Toon World are obligated to let themselves be searched. It's the officers' job to make sure there are no signs of vampirism in the individual. However, if that person refuses to go through with the examination and tries to sneak in anyway..."

Just as she said that, the weasel they left behind freed himself and began darting away from the officers. An alarm sounded throughout the building, and a large metal cage fell down, trapping the desperate weasel. Shaking its bars, he implored, "Let me out! Come on, I don't have time for this..."

"AHHHH, SHADDUP!" shouted Jenny, hitting him on the head with a mallet. "That's what you get for trying to defy the rules!" Charles chuckled; his new friend's got a great sense of humor, just like his human friend.

After being examined thoroughly himself, Charles was taken to another part of the building where new toons were waiting to be let in. Jenny brought a stack of papers to him and said, "Here, fill these out. These are registration papers."

"Registration papers?" asked Charles.

"Any information about you will be recorded and safely stashed in the Town Center's administration building. Just state your name, age, race or species, former hometown, birthdate, even your blood type, and let them take care of the rest."

Charles did as he was told and handed the papers back. While Snooper and Jenny had gone into the administration building, Charles looked to see a female bunny in the distance, manhandling the weasel he had seen earlier. She had cream-colored fur and blue eyes, but what made her stand out from the rest of the crowd were her robotic arm and legs. Watching the bunny drag the weasel away, the former human felt curious; not only did he recognize her, but he also wanted to know more about her.

"Okay, Charles!" said Jenny. "You're in! Now, take this citizenship pin, and we should be on our...uh, Charles? Buddy?"

"Is that Bunnie?" asked Charles, pointing towards the rabbit in the distance.

Jenny looked over and replied, "Oh, yes, that's her. Bunnie Rabbot. Former Freedom Fighter and second-in-command to the Mobian Female Justice Squad, a separate unit in the NYPD of which Sally Acorn is the leader. I'll introduce you to her sometime, but we'd better get moving." She grabbed his arm and dragged Charles away, as he continued to gaze back at the female rabbit.

They arrived at the garage adjacent to the IIC, where a sleek pink '87 Cadillac was waiting for them. After waving goodbye to Snooper and jumping into the front seat, Jenny said, "Ready to go?"

Charles nodded and replied, "Ready when you are."

She reached for her keys, turned on the ignition, and the car pulled out of the garage into the streets. Jenny continued, "Oh, by the way, Charles, this is Lisette."

Charles blinked. "Lisette?"

"Lisette DeCadillac. It's a long story. You see, she and I go way back, to when I was a teenager; she was my first real car and my best friend before I even had my own new best friends. And lately she's had a new upgrade, using artificial intelligence software from the same company that created KITT."

"I should have known. What else is there to expect?"

Suddenly, a robotic female voice with a French accent answered, _**"Anything and everything."**_

Charles jumped at the sound. Jenny giggled and replied, "Lisette! Quit scaring him! He's from the human world."

**"Je suis désolé," **said the Cadillac. _**"Old habits die hard, no? So! Is this the Monsieur Charles Roberts at your side? I've scanned his vitals and ascertained that he is one of the creators from the human world, with a connection to more than a dozen OCs both good and bad currently residing in the Toon World."**_

"That's correct. And today, after I find him a home, we're gonna reunite with the rest of the group and draw out our battle plans for liberating part of the Toon World that Rayian has taken over."

_**"Doesn't that sound **_**très **_**hard to him?"**_

"Nope. He's been assigned as our leader."

_**"Ooh, how interesting! I would love to see how it will play out."**_

"Later. For now, his new life in the Toon World begins."

* * *

Rayian relaxed in his throne room, while two female vampire unicorns telekinetically fanned his sides. His children had returned from the human world with news that the Keeper had just died.

"All good things must come to an end," he said. "Has he given up anything of importance?"

"Yes, Father," replied Rayian Jr., presenting a wooden staff. "The Holy Staff of Ycelia."

The vampire king snarled. "That's the very weapon responsible for my exile. I loathe it with every single undead fiber of my being! However, since I hear the Keeper is long gone, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to keep it under lock and key. Or I could find a good use for it myself."

He took the staff from his son's paws and gazed at it. Almost instinctively, he hissed in pain and threw it to the ground; the staff was warm with the magical light, which pretty much scalded some of the fur off of Rayian's paws. He roared, "It is STILL infused with the light! I don't ever want to hold that abomination in my paws again!"

Jane insisted, "But Pops, just think of it as your chance to wield your unlimited strength. The staff might not be yours unless something is done to alter its effects."

This gave Rayian an idea. Turning to the guards, he ordered, "Take the staff to Zecora. She'll know what to do with it."

The vampire guards took the Holy Staff of Ycelia away. At that moment, Nosferacho came hopping into the throne room. He bellowed, "Yoooooour Majestyyyyyyy!"

"Nosferacho," answered Rayian. "Welcome back. How has the assimilation fared?"

"Well, first off, I've got some good news and bad news. The good news is that the invasions of Acme Acres, San Francisco, and Nearburg are done! Next on the list is the Mushroom Kingdom!"

Rayian nodded approvingly. "Excellent. But, what of the bad news? Is it anything to do with the Keeper's team?"

Nosferacho was about to answer when one of the representatives of Ponyville, Vampire Mayor Mare, galloped in. She exclaimed, "They've escaped!"

"WHAT?!" snarled Rayian. "Who escaped?"

"The remaining survivors, three young fillies, have managed to flee New Romania. The re-education center we threw them in wasn't enough to contain those naughty youngsters; just as our backs were turned, they bucked themselves free and were gone before we could even catch up."

Rayian turned to Nosferacho, glaring at the vampire tick. He leered, "Tell me, 'faithful servant', why haven't your minions sunk their teeth into the brats' necks yet?"

Nosferacho chuckled nervously. He replied, "Eh, let's just say they had a bad near-death experience with garlic-based flea powder. You see..."

The vampire king grabbed the tick's neck with his clawed fingers, and brought him to his eye level. "**YOU INCOMPETENT INVERTEBRATE!** Had you been a bit more efficient, you would have done well to split your army to control the rest of New Romania's non-vampire population, while you run off to hunt for more victims! **WHY DO YOU DISAPPOINT ME?**"

"Y-Your Highness, I swear!" choked Nosferacho. "I d-didn't mean to abandon my post! Besides, that's not the only bad news I have to offer; not long before the Keeper died, he entrusted his Crystals of Light to a group of random strangers he calls his 'warriors'!"

"The Crystals of Light...hmmm, no doubt they are related to the staff he owned. Same power, same effects."

"It's true! That means there's always a second chance. We can still stop them! But how?"

Drawing another tarot card from the deck, which featured a portrait of Count Spankulot, Rayian replied with a fanged grin, "With every child's worst nightmare."

* * *

The gang reunited at a safe house, located in the Lower East Side. Charles had a lot to think about; saving the world, as his OCs had done in his stories, would never be considered easy in real life. He had been a police officer since the day he graduated from college, and was just on his way to being promoted to lieutenant when it happened. The Keeper had said to him that he and his friends were destined to be the protectors of both worlds, something he never expected. He also still couldn't get that image of the beautiful bunny at the Interdimensional Immigration Center out of his mind.

"So here we are," began Jenny. "This is one of the safe houses my colleagues at NYPD managed to construct, in preparation for a possible vampire invasion of New York City. Knowing certain vampires who will try to get past the steel doors, we've had them outfitted with special ultra-strength lightbulb shields that blast a single column of light to scare them off. From now on, this will be our secret team headquarters. Any questions?"

"Just one," asked Rainbow Dash. "When do we get to the action? I wanna start kicking vampire butt right now!"

"At the moment, we have a new mission; tomorrow night is Princess Peach's Birthday Ball in the Mushroom Kingdom and we've been asked to be bodyguards. It's suggested that we stay on high alert for any suspicious activity there."

Later that night, Charles settled down to sleep in his new apartment. Their team has a big mission to do tomorrow night, defending the Mushroom Kingdom from the onslaught of Rayian's vampire virus. But his thoughts were still on Bunnie; he has dated human girls before, but he had never felt the same about toon girls. _"My OCs are more experienced in romancing them than me in real life,"_ he thought. _"How will that work once I get to meet her?"_

A tap on the door interrupted his thoughts. When he opened it, he found Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo standing there, shivering. Applebloom asked, "M-Mister?"

"What are you kids doing here?" said Charles. "Shouldn't you be back in Equestria?"

As they stepped in, Sweetie Belle replied sadly, "It's not Equestria any more, it's New Romania. We hated it there! There were vampires everywhere, hissing and growling and talking about whose blood they wanna drink, and it makes me sick!"

Scootaloo added, "That's why we had to run away all the way to here. We don't ever wanna go back there again. We tried looking for Rainbow Dash, Fireblaze, and the rest of the grownups, but we ended up at your place instead."

Charles looked down at the three fillies. They pleaded in unison, "Won't you please protect us?"

He thought for a while. Then he said, "All right. I'll protect you...but under one condition."

Applebloom smiled. "Oh, sure, mister! Anything! We're the CMC; we're on a mission to get our cutie marks no matter what."

"As long as you don't do anything that can either mess up or endanger our mission at the Mushroom Kingdom tomorrow."

Charles turned to go back to bed. The young equine trio looked at each other excitedly, before shouting, "Cutie Mark Crusader Vampire-Busters, YAAAY!"

The man groaned and put a pillow over his head. This was going to be a _looooonnng _night.


	5. Chapter 4

This chapter's short, but the _real_ action begins later on in the next one!

**DISCLAIMER**: The characters included in the series belong to Warner Bros., Hanna-Barbera, MGM, Disney, Nickelodeon, Dreamworks, Sega, Nintendo, DC, Marvel, 20th Century Fox, Sony Playstation, and all the rest. Charles Roberts, Alexander Armington II, and other related characters belong to Charles Roberts (a.k.a Dragon222 of DeviantArt). Jennifer Silverfur belongs to me.

* * *

Chapter 4

Although Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash were relieved to see that their younger sisters survived the invasion, they were still not pleased that the CMC had unwittingly put themselves in danger by leaving the safe house. When Charles brought them to the group and explained what had happened, they were forced to make a decision to keep the fillies as safe as possible from any vampire daring enough to follow them into the Toon World.

"Sounds like we've got three new additions to the team," commented Alex II. "But, seriously, Charles, do we have to do this?"

Charles nodded. He replied, "It's the only way. If I had left them alone, they'd be captured and bitten for sure."

"We're vampire hunters, not babysitters. I thought it was _their _responsibility to look after their sisters; I wouldn't blame them for leaving them with their relatives."

Applejack was offended. She said, "Now hold on a sec there. I had to get me n' Applebloom out of the farm not long after our brother and grandmother were bitten. That's one reason she's still alive!"

"As children," added Rarity. "They're twice as prone to being chased and bitten by vampires as the adults are. Heaven knows what I'd do if I lost Sweetie Belle."

It was then that Fifi intervened. She said, "I'd rather we don't argue about the girls. What matters now is that they're okay."

"Thanks, Fifi," sighed Alex II, relaxing and rubbing his forehead. "For a second there, I thought I was gonna bust an artery or two for trying to reason with those two."

Fifi smiled. "What can I say? I'm a born peacemaker."

Charles looked at Alex II. He asked, "She's your fiancee, right?"

Alex II replied, "Yeah. We've been together for a couple of years now; our wedding's coming this fall."

"Congrats. You know, out of all the pairings I've supported in my stories, you and Fifi are the ones I like the most."

"Everybody knows that, even our old classmates at Acme Loo. We were childhood friends before we started to get serious."

Snooper and Jenny came in, both dressed fancily. Snooper said, "The portal to the Mushroom Kingdom has been opened and we've been cleared for entry. Get all your affairs in order so we can get out of here."

"How much time do we have left?" asked Cat.

"About fifteen minutes. We should be there before 5:30."

No sooner after they had gotten dressed than the group started heading towards the Mushroom Kingdom. Once there, they were summoned to the Council Room, where they met up with the heroes of the realm-Mario, Luigi, Toad, Yoshi, Birdo, Princess Daisy, Wario, and Waluigi. Bowser and his Koopalings were there as well; with the vampire virus about to enter their world, they had to come to protect their arch-enemies. King Dedede of Dreamland, representing the world of Super Smash Bros., had been invited as a guest.

"Thank you for coming," said Princess Peach. "I'm sure you know why I have called you here today."

Jenny replied, "Your Highness, as your party guests and bodyguards, your safety and that of your friends' is precious to us."

King Dedede said, "Zelda would have come, but she declined the invitation; she had to stay behind to help Link defend Hyrule. It also concerns me, too, as this land is connected to both Smashland and Mobius."

Charles thought. "That could mean only one thing. If they invade the Mushroom Kingdom, and discover a portal that leads to the two worlds, no one will be safe. Rayian is no joke; his plans are far more heinous than the plans of any villain in existence."

"And I thought my own plans to take over the Mushroom Kingdom were bad," sighed Bowser. "That's why I agreed to help the Mario Bros. We didn't have a choice."

Jenny reassured them, "Not to worry, fellas, we've got it covered. Do you know who we are?"

Charles added, "We're the Toon Warriors, guardians of the Toon World and the Real World. The Keeper put us in charge of protecting both worlds from Rayian and his minions. He wants to make his new empire bigger, but _we're _gonna make it smaller, one victim at a time, until there's not a single piece of his land left standing." He looked over at the others, and they smiled at him approvingly.

"Very well," answered Peach. "I'll have the Toads escort you to your rooms. The ball starts at 7:00, so be sure to be ready."

Meanwhile, outside the castle grounds, the Mobian Female Justice Squad (Sally, Bunnie, Nicole, Amy, Rouge, and Maria) had just arrived; earlier they were called in by Jenny to assist with the mission at hand. As Bunnie passed by the trees, she noticed something moving between them.

"Hmm?" she muttered. "What was that?"

Sally replied, "Not sure. It's probably the wind. Maybe we'll have time to investigate after the ball."

The girls continued on their way to the castle, unaware that the shadow was still watching them...revealing the face of Count Spankulot.

"Do you see the fillies yet?" asked Nosferacho, hopping onto his shoulder.

Count Spankulot replied, "Not yet, I'm afraid. But I do see some potential victims right in front of us..."

"That's gonna be a tad tricky, though. See those flashlights the broads are holding? If we as much as bite one of the crew, BOOM! A flash to the face and we're history! We gotta find a better way of convincing them to let their guard down and gain entry into the castle at the same time...but how? Ooh, I know!"

Moments later, the women had not gone far into the courtyard when someone tapped Sally on the shoulder. She turned to see two men, a short middle-aged rabbit and a tall deer, standing before them. The rabbit said, "Greetings, fair young ladies. I am Herr Hans Hassenpfeffer, and this is my dear old friend, Signor Tino Biscotti. We were on our way to the princess' ball when we saw you; tell me, are you afraid of being alone out here in the dark?"

"Oh, no, sir," replied Bunnie. "We're fine. We have flashlights in case the vampires jump on us."

"Vampires? Oh, my. A terrible fate indeed. But never fear! We're here to escort you to the ball, and you'll never have to worry about those awful blood-suckers again."

Amy asked Sally, "Are you sure we can trust these guys? Something about them looks AND sounds fishy."

Sally replied, "They do seem nice. I don't think we've ever met these two before, but..."

"But _fraulein_, I insist," suggested the rabbit. "We'll make sure none of them will harm you while you dance the night away."

She thought for a while, before looking at them. "Open wide and say 'aah'."

The men opened their mouths; although in disguise, Count Spankulot and Nosferacho did a good job hiding their fangs well so that their cover wasn't blown. After looking into their mouths, Sally continued, "No fangs, no sensitivity to light...looks like you're clear. You might as well accompany us."

As they continued on their way, Tino/Count Spankulot shuddered. He muttered, "Why must I shut my eyes before she shined the light on us? That hurt!"

"I told you," answered Hans/Nosferacho. "That's to make sure they don't recognize who we are."

"...can we bite them now?"

"No! Not yet! Wait until the right moment to do so. It's all about timing, my friend; we just have to know when."


	6. Chapter 5

I admit this was kinda rushed, but here you go. I hope this will never disappoint your hunger for action. And who is this female voice talking to our heroes? You'll find out in the next chapter.

**DISCLAIMER**: The characters included in the series belong to Warner Bros., Hanna-Barbera, MGM, Disney, Nickelodeon, Dreamworks, Sega, Nintendo, DC, Marvel, 20th Century Fox, Sony Playstation, and all the rest. Charles Roberts, Alexander Armington II, and other related characters belong to Charles Roberts (a.k.a Dragon222 of DeviantArt). Jennifer Silverfur belongs to me.

* * *

Chapter 5

The night was alive with music and laughter, as guests from all over the Toon World came to celebrate the princess' birthday. It was a time to be merry and be confident the vampires will never ruin the moment; Peach made sure of this by establishing Toad guards and Yoshi guards around the castle.

When Sally, Bunnie, Amy, Nicole, and the others showed up at the entrance, one of the Yoshi guards came forward. He said, "Are you the Mobian Female Justice Squad?"

"In the flesh," answered Sally, showing her badge.

"And those two behind you?"

"Guests."

The guard looked at the two men for a few moments, before he and his partner stepped aside. "You may pass."

Inside, Charles was being introduced to a dozen characters at the ball. He got along with everyone, proving that his adjustment to living in the Toon World progressed well. Among the characters he met, a new one-an adult male around his age-came out to greet him.

"This is Nick Thompson," said Jenny. "He's one of our best freelance cops on the scene."

"How long has he been working with you guys?" asked Charles.

"Since last year. He joined after helping us take down a terrorist."

Nick shook hands with Charles, saying, "Busting bad guys is what I like to do best. When I heard about this vampire thing going on, I had to come here to make sure everybody's all right. So, you're Charles Roberts?"

"Officer Charles Roberts," corrected Charles. "I'm a cop, too...from the human world, that is. I was brought here because we needed to protect Princess Peach."

From far off, Hans/Nosferacho and Tino/Count Spankulot were spying on the team. Hans/Nosferacho whispered, "Well, would you look at that? The heroes are here, and with the young fillies in tow. This is the perfect opportunity to execute part of our plan." Turning to the Mobian girls, he said, "Ladies, we wish to be excused."

"Wish granted," nodded Bunnie. "Guest rooms are upstairs on the 2nd floor."

As soon as they got to their guest room, the two vampires shape-shifted back into their regular selves. Count Spankulot sighed, "Whew! As if the bright lights were annoying enough..."

"Now listen up and listen good," said Nosferacho. "Lord Rayian expects us to do the job right; there's plenty of ripe blood all over the castle for us to drink, but taking back the fillies and finishing the conversion process is our #1 priority. And now that we have the Mobian women in cahoots with us, we'll use them as tools in getting the brats."

"What do you suggest?"

"Distract them, of course. As soon as the girls have put up their flashlights, we'll summon them to the room. We'll trap 'em in, turn them into vampires, and then send them off to catch the fillies; while we're at it, we can also order them to bite every single guest they see at the ball."

"And the heroes...?"

"The heroes? Oooh, we have even BIGGER plans for them, should they ever attempt to stand in our way..."

Meanwhile, the women were just about to head towards their room to freshen up. Hans/Nosferacho peeked out and called out to them, "_Fraulein_, may I have a moment?"

"What is it this time?" asked Bunnie.

"My friend has a bit of a trouble getting his shirt on. If you don't mind, would you ladies offer assistance?"

"Couldn't you just simply do it yourselves? We're busy here."

The vampire tick quickly thought up a lie. "...he has no hands."

This convinced the girls to decide to walk in. No sooner had they stepped in than Hans/Nosferacho began to shout, "NOW!"

His minions popped out from under the bed and locked the door. Then the two vampires rematerialized, knocked the guns out of their hands, and grabbed them. Sally growled, "YOU!"

"Poor, poor girls," mocked Nosferacho. "A shame you don't have much common sense any more. Haven't you heard the old adage 'Don't trust anyone'?"

"I'll put you both behind bars for assaulting a police officer!"

"Not a chance. We demand a favor from you; the fillies we have seen at the ball are property of Lord Rayian Fox. As soon as we drain you of your blood, you too will become his."

"Good luck with that, buster. We have neck guards!"

"Or, do you?"

The girls looked over and gasped. The vampire ticks had been working behind the scenes, rendering the group vulnerable by secretly removing their neck guards. Amy muttered, "This is gonna suck...hard..."

"Literally," replied Nosferacho with a grin, before he and Count Spankulot procceeded to bite their necks.

Luckily, Bunnie managed to squirm herself free while her colleagues were getting their blood drained. She kicked the door open and ran out to warn the guests; not far behind the rest of the squad (now vampires) peeked out of the room. Count Spankulot ordered, "Don't just stand there, GET HER!"

Bunnie ran as hard as she could from her vampirized friends. Along the way, she accidentally bumped into Charles, who at the time was about to go to the bathroom. Helping her up, he asked, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," answered Bunnie, breathlessly. "But not those five!"

Charles looked up to see the vampires running towards him. His first instinctive response was to grab a gun and shoot at them; when the bullets did nothing to deter them, he decided the crystal he was holding would do the trick. Charles muttered, "Now how do I work this again?"

"Charles!" shouted Jenny, amongst the chaos. "They're attacking the guests!"

He looked behind him and witnessed the most horrifying sight. Vampire Sally, Rouge, Amy, Nicole, and Maria were all over the ballroom, biting the guests and eventually going after Mario and Peach. Nick got out his MM9 and said, "I'll defend the royal couple, you go and get the survivors out of here!"

Charles nodded and did so. Soon, both teams were forced to fight the new vampires, but it proved too much for them.

"There's too many of them!" shouted Snooper.

Charles replied, "Looks like it's time we started using the crystals, just as soon as we figure out-"

"NOT SO FAST!"

They looked up and saw Nosferacho and his vampire ticks with the CMC. He continued, "Don't think you're gonna use those rocks to defeat me. We've got your fillies now, and there's nothing you can do about it."

"Let our sisters go!" demanded Applejack and Rarity.

"Sure, I'll let them go...after I feast on them first! Boys?"

The minions saluted and began biting on the young girls' necks. Charles was at a loss of what to do; this was the first time he's ever failed a mission. As soon as that was done, Count Spankulot boasted, "The time for Lord Rayian's rule approaches! Surrender your hearts and necks to him now, or suffer the consequences!"

Suddenly, a bright flash of light surrounded the heroes, and by the time it faded away they were gone. Nosferacho growled, "WHAT?! They...they just..."

"They're gone," replied Count Spankulot, stunned. "And just when we were about to convert them and steal their crystals!"

"Lord Rayian's _not _going to be pleased about this...but no matter, we've finally got the fillies he wanted." To the vampires in the ballroom, Nosferacho continued, "As for the rest of you, go out to the other territories and make vampires out of every toon in existence, right down to the last one! You do not want to disappoint your new lord and master, do you?"

"All hail Lord Rayian Fox!" declared Vampire Sally. The crowd cheered, before leaving the castle and following Nosferacho. When at last the room was empty, Nick, Mario, and Peach peeked out from behind the throne. Peach whispered, "Are they gone?"

Nick scanned the entirety of the room. He replied, "All clear. No vampires in sight. I'd better get you two to New York, you'll be safe with me...but where's Charles? And Jen?"

In answer to the question, Charles and the rest of the gang woke up in what looked like a cave of glowing crystals. Rubbing his head, Charles muttered, "Whoa...anybody get the number of the semi that hit me?"

"It wasn't a semi," replied Bunnie. "All I can remember was this flash of light and suddenly we're here."

"But where are we?"

"Honestly, I have no idea."

Just then, an ethereal female voice spoke up. _"It seems the Keeper was right about you all along."_

They tried to find the source of the voice, but saw no one there. Jenny said, "Whoever you are, show yourself! Friend or foe?"

_"I assure you I am merely no foe. Come see me in the throne room; all will be explained in due time."_

The gang followed the voice down the corridors of the crystal cave, awaiting what (and who) lies beyond them in its throne room.


	7. Chapter 6

Well, here it is, Chapter 6! We're on a home stretch towards the upcoming final battle!

**DISCLAIMER**: The characters included in the series belong to Warner Bros., Hanna-Barbera, MGM, Disney, Nickelodeon, Dreamworks, Sega, Nintendo, DC, Marvel, 20th Century Fox, Sony Playstation, and all the rest. Charles Roberts, Alexander Armington II, and other related characters belong to Charles Roberts (a.k.a Dragon222 of DeviantArt). Jennifer Silverfur belongs to me.

* * *

Chapter 6

It wasn't a throne room, as they were told they'd find, but a laboratory of some sorts. Beakers, containers, boxes, file cabinets, and other science-related stuff lined up against the crystalline walls of the cave; from looking at the items they passed by, Charles could tell that whoever summoned the group is much more than just some random entity.

"Is it just me," wondered Rainbow Dash. "Or did we just walk into Dr. Frankenstein's lab?"

Jenny replied, "You could say that. But I don't see any monsters."

Suddenly, Vampire Mordecai and Vampire Rigby jumped out at them. Just as they were about to attack the group, a frying pan came out of nowhere and struck the two on their heads, knocking them unconscious. A female voice shouted, "Down, boys! Down!"

A raccoon in a lab coat appeared before the gang and scolded the vampires. She continued, "Mordecai, Rigby, you know better than to hurt our guests! Now go back to your cage!"

They all heaved a huge sigh of relief. Rarity said, "Oh, thank heavens!"

"Sorry about that, guys," replied the raccoon. "These two were right in the middle of being quarantined when they smelled your blood. Lucky thing I was there the whole time; things would have gotten much worse if I wasn't."

Charles looked at the raccoon and saw that some fangs were protruding from her mouth. He said, "Wait, you're a vampire, too. I'm surprised you never tried to bite us as well."

The raccoon chuckled. "No! I'm actually one of the few good vampires who had rebelled against Rayian's rule. Blood isn't even on our menu."

"So, technically, that makes you a _vegetarian _vampire?"

"Yes. I'm Dr. Cassandra Grey; I'm a scientist working on a cure for the vampire virus that's going around the Toon World. The Keeper told me so much about you."

Charles nodded. He began to explain how it all happened; the invasion started with Nosferacho infiltrating Equestria's borders and turning every single pony in it into vampires. So far, only the Mane Six, their boyfriends, and the CMC were the survivors of the rapidly growing epidemic, which soon spilled over into the remaining provinces of the Toon World. He finished, "Rayian's conquest is only complete when he takes over the human world. The one thing we need to do is to find a way to prevent him from doing so."

"That's where I come in," replied Dr. Grey, holding up a beaker full of bright green liquid. "I spent almost 300 years developing plans for a cure that can automatically reverse the conversion process. You see, in order for a regular mortal being to fully transform into a vampire, his or her DNA must be altered; the vampire virus can only be transmitted via a bite from an infected person. The victim's blood cells are immediately consumed by the infected's own and they attach themselves to the DNA of whoever has been bitten, thus changing his or her appearance and personality. In layman's terms, when a vampire bites you, you become one yourself."

"That pretty much explains how the virus really works," said Snooper. "It's similar to how a person becomes a werewolf, by simply getting bitten by one."

"This special vaccine does the exact opposite of the vampire virus' actions. For it to work to its full capacity, I will need a DNA sample of a healthy individual who has never been bitten by a vampire, preferably someone immune to such a thing."

They all looked towards the CMC. Applebloom protested, "Hey! Don't look at us! Nosferacho's minions have already bitten us. We should've been vampires by now!"

Dr. Grey came over and examined their necks and mouths. She smiled and said, "Consider yourself lucky, kid. Your antibodies had managed to reject the virus before the transformation began. None of your blood cells were destroyed and your DNA is safe; no fangs, no worries."

"What have you been eating that made your immune system this strong?" asked Flash Sentry.

Sweetie Belle answered nervously, "Uh...we had garlic soup for lunch a couple of days ago."

Dr. Grey brightened up. "That's it! Garlic is the ancestral weakness of most vampires. While it doesn't kill them like wooden stakes do, it incapacitates them with just one whiff of their smell. Its greatest power is unlocked when eaten either raw or as part of a dish, like soup; the juices contain rare antibodies capable of completely wiping out the vampire virus in less than a few seconds!"

Scootaloo stared. She asked, "Really? So what you're saying is, we've been protecting ourselves all this time and we didn't know it?"

Applebloom smiled. She turned to Applejack and boasted, "See? I told you we'd look after ourselves. They may have bitten us, but it's all thanks to the garlic soup that we couldn't turn into vampires!"

"That's right," replied Dr. Grey with a nod. "However..."

The team looked at the raccoon. Bunnie asked, "What's wrong?"

"I know what Rayian will do if he finds out about the vaccine. He'll come up with a failsafe that overrides the vaccine's defensive measures and turn potential victims into vampires anyway, or back into vampires if the victims have already been cured. That's just plain god-modding and the Elders will _not _let him get away with it!"

"The Elders?" muttered Fifi.

Alex II asked, "Who or what are they?"

Dr. Grey looked up at them. She explained, "The Elders were guardians of the universe. They're in charge of controlling the balance between good and evil; their job was to see to it that not one force outweighs the other, so that the universe may continue to thrive. Rayian's actions are threatening its safety, further tipping the scales, and if he succeeds by claiming the human world..."

"We're doomed!" shouted Cat and Dog.

"My thoughts exactly. When Rayian attempted to vampirize all of the world the first time, the Elders saw him as a threat to the universe's well-being. They sent the Keeper to defeat Rayian, banish him to the Dark Void, and restore the balance; afterwards, the Elders vanished, never to be seen again. It is said that the 'team of two worlds', dictated in the prophecy alone, would claim direct descent from them."

Charles blinked. Dr. Grey continued, "You heard right. You, Charles Roberts, are the descendant of Grand Elder Xiao Fang, their leader. It is through him that you have gained the ever mysterious powers of the Red Dragon."

"Is that why I'm part-dragon?" he asked.

"He was human, just like you were. And Chinese, too."

"That's interesting."

Turning to the rest of the group, Dr. Grey went on, "As distant relatives of the most powerful beings in existence, you were born to purge the world of darkness. Now that Rayian has returned from the Dark Void, it's up to us to send him back to where he belongs and where he will stay for the remainder of his afterlife. The DNA from the CMC will never be enough to increase the vaccine's potency; the dust from the crystals you hold is the real secret ingredient. They'll ensure Rayian's failsafe plan won't override the cure."

They all looked at each other, then at their crystals. Alex II asked, "Are you sure we need to give up our crystals, in exchange for the safety of the universe?"

She nodded. "Trust me. It'll be worth the effort."

They hesitated, before handing over their Crystals of Light. She then took blood samples from Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo; following this she proceeded to mix the crushed crystals and blood together, adding a bit of holy water every few minutes. Finally, presenting them with a flask full of bright blue liquid, she said, "Eureka! It's finished. Now all we need are the test subjects, to see if the vaccine will work as promised."

Going over to Vampire Mordecai and Rigby, she grabbed a syringe and used it to inject the liquid into the duo's arms. She looked at her watch and murmured, "That should do it. They should be back to normal in about...ten seconds...three...two...one..."

Just as she predicted, the vibrant colors returned to their bodies and their fangs disappeared. Mordecai groaned and rubbed his head, and so did Rigby. He muttered, "...my head hurts. Where the heck am I? What happened?"

"It's a long story," replied Dr. Grey. "All that matters is that you are freed from the virus. Rayian no longer has any control over you, thanks to this vaccine."

"It works!" Bunnie exclaimed happily. "Now I can get my colleagues back again!"

Charles added, "And everyone else in the Toon World."

Dr. Grey handed the team boxes full of vials of the vaccine. She said, "We don't have much time to celebrate yet. You must get the vaccine to all the territories Rayian has claimed; inject it into every vampire you see and get them back to normal. It's also a good idea to inject yourselves with it, just to be safe."

"What about you?" asked Fifi. "What if Rayian finds you here?"

The raccoon smiled. All around her the lab slowly faded away, transforming back into what the area originally was before. _"He'll never find me. I am but a distant memory of the past; I wish I could find more ways to help you stop the invasion, but this is all I can do for now. Furthermore, I wish you good luck, and may the light of the Elders shine deeply within you..."_

With that, she dematerialized into nothing, leaving behind a pure white rose that grew from the ground. Charles said, "Let's keep going. Any minute longer and Rayian's influence will start spreading into the human world. I hope we're not too late."

* * *

Back in New Romania, Rayian was _very _angry about what happened in the Mushroom Kingdom. He growled, "You've bitten all the guests at the party and captured the fillies...yet you **STILL LET THEM SLIP AWAY?!**"

"T-They've got the fillies, Your Highness," explained the vampire tick. "I've had my minions bite them, but that darn bright light appeared out of nowhere, and next thing we knew they...disappeared. I'm sorry..."

Rayian simply flicked him off of his armrest. "Stupid flea. I should have fired you a long time ago. You have failed me for the last time, so I have no further use for your services."

Nosferacho got up and dusted himself off. He shouted, "Oh, yeah? Well, I QUIT! I'm done serving you and your hoity-toity vampire clan! You can go after those heroes yourself, 'cause I'm outta here! Come on, boys, it's vacation time!"

The minions cheered. One of them exclaimed, "Hawaii, here we come!"

The vampire tick and his crew left the throne room. Belladonna shrugged and said, "Oh, well. There are still other villains we can use to get those heroes. Which card will you..."

"**NO CARDS!**" roared Rayian, knocking the set of tarot cards away. "I will need _no _assistance of any kind. This time, my pretty purple rose, it's serious!"

He summoned Granny Smith, Big Mac, Rarity's parents, Twilight Velvet, Night Light, Maud Pie, Fluttershy's animal friends, and Firefly. He continued, "You will join me, my wife, and our children in our fight against the heroes. They are the only obstacles I need to get over to complete my conquest of the world. Nosferacho has failed me miserably, but now I'm forced to put my trust in all of you. This foolish charade they're pulling off must stop; one way or another, I _will _conquer the entire universe, or die trying!"


	8. Chapter 7

One more chapter and the first part of the saga is over! Thank you so much for reading!

**DISCLAIMER**: The characters included in the series belong to Warner Bros., Hanna-Barbera, MGM, Disney, Nickelodeon, Dreamworks, Sega, Nintendo, DC, Marvel, 20th Century Fox, Sony Playstation, and all the rest. Charles Roberts, Alexander Armington II, and other related characters belong to Charles Roberts (a.k.a Dragon222 of DeviantArt). Jennifer Silverfur belongs to me.

* * *

Chapter 7

The dreary plains of New Romania were even bleaker than before, as the gang stepped through its portal. Charles looked around, saddened that Equestria has been changed into such a nightmarish realm; even the once-healthy trees in the Everfree Forest were stripped bare of their leaves. In place of cheerful birds, crows and ravens perched upon the branches, glaring menacingly at the strangers passing by.

"This place looks even creepier than I thought," commented Bert.

Charles stopped and bent down to examine a wilted flower. His fingers gently caressed its brittle petals, but he jumped back when he saw a tendril of thorns surrounding the flower, literally choking the life out of the poor plant. He said, "Rayian has gone way too far this time. His invasion of the toon world have taken a toll on the environment and wildlife. Everything in the dimension is dying; it'll be much worse if he takes on the human world."

"I'm sure the scales have already tipped by now," replied Alex II. "One step further and this universe will be extinct. We'd all be extinct."

"Like Dr. Grey said, something should be done to save both the Toon World and the human world, not to mention to restore the moral balance. If Rayian wants a war for the safety of both worlds, then so be it."

They continued further into the region, until they came upon the center of what used to be Ponyville. From above them a flock of ravens soared overhead; Charles took it as a sign that Rayian is on his way. He said, "Stay on your guard, guys. The king has arrived."

The team immediately steeled themselves for the encounter. Sure enough, Rayian materialized before them, followed by his wife, son, and daughter.

"Wretched mortals," he sneered. "Took you long enough to show your faces in my kingdom. You've been a thorn in my side ever since you rescued those fillies."

Charles replied, "Rayian, your days of terrorizing the two worlds are over. You're going to pay for what you did to the Toon World!"

"On the contrary, young man, it was to compensate for what I had lost a few centuries ago. There was a time when I once reigned supreme over all of Eastern Europe; I drank the blood of the victims who dared to defy my authority. That is, until one of them decided that enough was enough and dethroned me. I lost everything! My kingdom, my followers, even my beloved Izabela...she was the love of my life. I can still remember the first time we met..."

"And you can join her in-"

Belladonna butted in. She said, "Oh, no, you don't, buster! My hubby's not as weak as you think he is. The princesses are still in the dungeon; once we're through with you pipsqueaks, he'll drink their blood and become the most powerful being this side of the Underworld. Whoever teleported you out of the Mushroom Kingdom must not be so very smart, huh?"

"Actually, she is," replied Jenny boldly.

Rayian growled. "Her? Cassandra? I knew she would get involved. She was my firstborn; Izabela and I cast her off at the time of her birth. She was worthless because she did not develop a taste for human blood. An outcast, like the rest of you..."

Charles said, "She's on our side now. She sent us to send you back to the Dark Void and make you stay there, permanently!"

Rayian snapped his fingers to summon the Mane Six's relatives and friends. He said with a smirk, "I do not intend to leave my throne anytime soon. It's going to take more than just a mere threat to flush me out of this world. Consider this group, my fellow slaves; perchance they look familiar to any of you?"

"My parents!" gasped Twilight.

"Our folks!" screamed Applejack and Applebloom.

Fluttershy wept for her vampirized animal friends. Rayian continued, "And let's not forget, Rainbow Dash, your 'dearly departed' mother. You thought you and your father lost her a long time ago, but I have found her and made her a worthy addition to my clan. Your loved ones are here to help me accomplish my goal, which will not be completed until every single one of you is defeated and assimilated. Your efforts to stymie my conquest are useless before me and there is nowhere else to run but to your doom. Join us, Charles Roberts, for today is the day the royal Fox family will be the unrivaled tyrants of the entire universe!"

"What you're doing is slowly killing the universe," protested Charles. "Your dark aura is outweighing the good aura of the two worlds; if you take us down and turn us into vampires, all life will be gone and the Earth, as well as the planets surrounding it, will collapse. And when that happens, there will be nothing left standing in the empty void."

Rayian roared, "**I DO NOT CARE WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR PUNY HOMEWORLDS! **As long as I have my New Romanian empire, my reign will last forever! My ex-daughter's words to you about saving the universe are pure lies! Nothing can save it!"

"Then it looks like we have no choice. We're going to take you and your clan down...the hard way!"

The vampire fox turned to his slaves and ordered them to attack. "**SEIZE THEM!**"

The heroes began to fight the vampire ponies. Rainbow Dash and Fireblaze were left to face her mother, who bared her bloody fangs at them. Rainbow pleaded, "Mom, I know I haven't seen you since I was a filly and I really don't want to hurt you, but this is ridiculous! You've got to fight off his control over you and come back home!"

"Why fight it when you can enjoy it?" taunted Firefly. "Lord Rayian had the right idea when he convinced me to serve him alongside his other slaves. There are many good benefits to being a vampire, you know."

Rainbow was about to charge towards her, but Fireblaze held her back. He said, "RD, don't. She's trying to entice you into killing her; doing that will make you lose her for good."

"Then how the hay are we supposed to cure her without even hurting her?" demanded Rainbow.

Before he could answer, Firefly tackled Fireblaze and sunk her fangs into his neck. Rainbow stared in shock; her boyfriend was the first member of the team down! She flew off towards her teammates, with Firefly going after her.

"Fireblaze's down!" shouted Jenny. "We didn't have time to inject the vaccine into us!"

Charles replied, "Just keep fighting!"

The fight continued. Rainbow had insisted they cure the ponies without killing them, which meant trying hard to survive their attacks and finding a way to distract them. One by one, other team members failed; Snooper was curbstomped when Vampire Big Mac bucked him in the face, Vampire Night Light and Vampire Twilight Velvet tore into CatDog, and the animals brutally mauled Bert to the point that his famous sweater was torn apart. Now it was up to Charles, Jenny, and the Mane Six to flee the battlefield.

"I don't know how in the world Rayian made his team stronger," he said. "There must be a way to disable their attacks and then cure them!"

Jenny answered, "Didn't you remember what Dr. Grey told us? He must have found out about our plan. He wants the vaccines destroyed before he could defeat us!"

"We're still not going to give up, Jen. No matter what Rayian or his clan does to us, we _will _persevere!"

Suddenly, Vampire Magnum (Rarity's father) pounced upon Jenny and started dragging her away. Charles couldn't stand to watch his best friend getting ripped alive, and he struggled to save her.

_"Charles," _Dr. Grey's voice uttered in his mind. _"Though your teammates have fallen, you are the Toon World's only hope."_

He asked, "...Dr. Grey?"

_"The secret of the vaccine is one I know so well. It wipes out the virus and restores the memories of the ones infected. Your soul is already bonded with the contents of the crystal; now's your chance to unleash the power of the Red Dragon, and let your aura and that of your ancestor's become one. Use that power to rescue your friends, defeat Rayian, and restore balance to the ailing universe. Become the Dragon! Let the flames of fury consume you!"_

Charles took that advice to heart and closed his eyes. A bright red aura surrounded him, instantly transforming into rings of flames; the fur on his body slowly melted away to reveal red scales and his eyes began to change shape and color.

Meanwhile, Rayian gloated over his victory. He said, "With this team or mortals out of the way at last, I can finally lay claim to all of the universe. How does it feel to become vampires now?"

The downed teammates lay still, giving no answer. Rayian continued, frustrated, "Answer me, slaves! Do not ignore your new master!"

Still no reply. This angered the vampire king so much; usually his victims rose up again as new vampires, but this situation was different. None of them awakened and listened to his command. Jane muttered nervously, "Eh, Pops, I think your pony slaves might've overdone it a little..."

"Don't be daft, my daughter," leered Rayian. "There needs to be an explanation to this travesty. WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS ACT OF UTTER DEFIANCE?!"

The ground beneath them began to shake violently. Mountains crumbled down, its rocks rolling off and crushing various areas of New Romania. The vampire clan became alarmed at this sudden turn of events, but what scared them even more is when they heard a deep male voice booming out...

_**"LORD RAYIAN FOX! YOU HAVE GONE FAR ENOUGH! THE BALANCE BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL HAS BEEN DESTROYED, AND THE UNIVERSE IS NEAR EXTINCTION! NOW YOU SHALL SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES!"**_

Before them now stood a giant red Chinese dragon, whom they did not know was really Charles, roaring angrily at the startled family. Behind him stood a row of spirits Rayian had recognized as the Elders: Excalibur the Swiftfooted (the ancestor of Bunnie), Lord Angus Silverfur of Kilkenny (ancestor of Jenny), Finn Van Snooper (ancestor of Super Snooper), Roland (ancestor of Fifi La Fume), Edward Armington (ancestor of Alex II), and Bertram Raccoon II (ancestor of Bert).

"Grand Elder Xiao Fang!" exclaimed Rayian. "I thought you and your council had disappeared a long time ago..."

_"Your attempts to recreate your vile empire are hazardous to the planet's health," _declared Charles/Xiao Fang. _"For defying your prison sentence and the forced transformation upon unwilling victims, we hereby sentence you to 20,000 more years in Tartarus!"_

Jenny/Angus added, _"Day and night you will be tortured for all eternity, while we work to reset the balance you so cruelly manipulated!"_

Rayian pleaded, "H-Have mercy! All I really wanted was my kingdom...the kingdom your own servant got rid of..."

Charles/Xiao Fang breathed a stream of fire upon the vampire king, stunning him. He growled, _"Your lies will never save you from your eternal punishment. We will now proceed to reclaim your former slaves; let it be that no one in this barren region or the regions around it remembers what has transpired in the past few days."_

"Mark my words, spirits!" growled Rayian. "I will be back, and when I do, what has been lost will be **MINE**!"

_"Don't count on it," _replied Bunnie/Excalibur. As the world around them began to fall apart, a flash of light grew and surrounded the area, glowing brighter and brighter, until it faded away to the silent darkness...

* * *

"...Mr. Roberts?"

Charles woke up to find himself lying in a hospital bed. An ice pack was on his head and one of his arms had an intravenous device attached to it. He looked around him and to his sides; his friends were gone and so was Rayian, his clan, and the ponies. He was back in the human world...and he was fully human again.

"Mr. Roberts, how are your wounds?"

Startled, Charles turned to the nurse beside him. He replied, "Oh...I'm all right. Just a bit dazed, I guess."

"Wow. Those criminals really did a number on you with a bullet to the head. Thankfully, it barely hit your brain, just by an inch."

"Thank goodness."

As soon as the nurse tended to his wounds and walked away, Charles looked over to the side of his bed to find a letter. It read:

_Charles,_

_It's been a great honor working alongside you to battle Rayian. I have some good news and bad news to share with you today. As of right now, the vampire virus is completely exterminated; all the citizens in the Toon World have been properly quarantined and immunized, with the vaccines Dr. Grey made for us. Rayian and his clan were sentenced to spend eternity in Tartarus, so we won't have to worry about them hurting our countrymen again._

_As for the bad news, with the Dark Void gone, the villains Rayian had recruited in the past have been released...no doubt they're gonna cause more trouble in the Toon World. Fortunately we've got ourselves a brand-new team; dedicated to upholding justice in both worlds, we've decided to call ourselves the Toon Warriors. And you, buddy, have been chosen to lead us._

_Now, I will say it just once-I want to thank you for rushing in to save our lives when Rayian's slaves caught us. Our teamwork gave us a new sense of well-being, confidence, and bravery unlike anything we've ever known, and I'd hate to think about what we'd do if you hadn't used your Red Dragon powers in time. You're a true friend, Charles...a real hero._

_Say, once you get out of the hospital, can you come back to the Toon World? We've got a big surprise waiting for you. _

_Signed, your good friend,_  
_Jennifer Silverfur-Snooper_

"Jennifer Silverfur-Snooper?" wondered Charles. "I wonder what's going on between her and Snoop this time...?"

His eyes spotted a pale rose envelope, which came along with the letter, and opened it to reveal a wedding invitation. Charles smiled; his friends were going to get married, and he had been picked to be their best man! It'd be a shame if Jenny went through it without him being involved. Thus, he made it his goal to return to the Toon World as soon as he recovered, so he wouldn't miss the nuptials.

"Are you leaving so soon?" asked the sargeant, watching Charles pack his things.

Charles replied with a nod, "I'm moving. There's a new police department on the other side who may need my services. Plus, my friend's getting married; she wants me to be there at her wedding next week."

"Well, I wish you the best of luck with your new team. We're all gonna miss you, kid...remember to stay strong."

Charles nodded. Soon, all of his stuff were removed from his apartment and stuffed into the moving vans. He got into his Lexus and followed the moving fans through the portal to the Toon World, leaving the human world behind forever.


	9. Chapter 8

_**FINALLY!**_ I finished it! Annnd this is where the story ends. BUT! It's not completely over yet! You'll see what I mean when I post the epilogue. 'Til then, take care, and happy reading!

**DISCLAIMER**: The characters included in the series belong to Warner Bros., Hanna-Barbera, MGM, Disney, Nickelodeon, Dreamworks, Sega, Nintendo, DC, Marvel, 20th Century Fox, Sony Playstation, and all the rest. Charles Roberts, Alexander Armington II, and other related characters belong to Charles Roberts (a.k.a Dragon222 of DeviantArt). Jennifer Silverfur belongs to me.

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Chapter 8

"...I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Cheers erupted from the pews of the St. Warner's Toon Church as Snooper and Jenny shared their first kiss as newlyweds. Peace had at last returned to the Toon World following the big battle that had taken place long before; Rayian had been soundly defeated and the Dark Void that blocked off the gateway to the Dark World disappeared, but that also meant the villains would be back to resume their pre-banishment work of torturing innocent citizens, a difficult task the Toon Warriors will eventually accomplish in the near future.

For now, celebrating the marriage of two of the NYPD's greatest detectives was a priority. Charles, having served as the couple's best man, enjoyed his new life in the Toon World. Although he befriended many toons who welcomed his presence in the dimension, he was thankful for his old friends back in the human world; they approved of his decision to leave everything he knew and loved behind in order to live a much happier life beyond the reaches of his former home, even though they will eventually miss him.

"To Charles Roberts," declared Alex II, raising his glass of champagne. "Our leader of the pack, and champion of the Toon World. Cheers!"

Everyone clinked their glasses together. "Cheers!"

Charles chuckled and blushed. He said, "Aww, man, stop it, guys. I really don't deserve this, it's nothing, but..."

"Of course, you do," replied Snooper. "You managed to save our butts back in Equestria, just when Rayian was about to resurrect us as his vampire servants, by using your Red Dragon powers alone! I bet he didn't see that one coming, huh?"

Jenny added, "It was all thanks to you that we were able to get everything and everyone back to the way it was. No more vampires! Finally!"

Charles nodded. "True. But now we'll have to deal with the other bad guys; with their former master and his clan locked away in Tartarus, the villains have free reign of his kingdom are free to escape into our world to continue their crime spree. As long as we're together, we'll stop those new threats at any cost."

Just then, Nick dropped by, along with the Mobian Female Justice Squad and their husbands. Nick called out, "Charles, my man! Way to go! We had fun watching you and your crew kick some vampire pony rump out there! Wish I could've been there to help, but I was forced to look after Mario and Peach."

"It was worth it," answered Charles.

"Well, now that Rayian's gone and everything's back to normal, what's next for the team?"

Bert thought for a moment. He said, "Come to think of it, we _do _have some plans, but right now we're just relaxing and having fun. What could possibly go wrong?"

At that moment, the comunnicator on Jenny's wrist, and she answered it. She said, "Hello, Toon Warriors. Det. Jennifer Silverfur-Snooper speaking...oh, hey, chief, what's up? Yeah...hmmm...darn it! Him again?! I-yeah, we'll be over there in a sec. Thanks." After hanging up, she looked up at her teammates and said, "Sorry, guys, but the honeymoon will have to wait. I got a message from our chief; there's been a break-in at the National Bank of Gotham City. The Joker...is back."

"That's it," replied Nick, cocking his gun. "The crazy clown is going down."

"We're with you," added Sally, as she and the girls and their husbands got their weapons ready.

Charles stood up. He said, "We shouldn't stand around here and let him get away with it. Batman's gonna need all the help he can get if we wanna catch the Joker. Toon Warriors! Are you ready?"

"Ready!" answered Snooper.

Jenny said boldly, "Yes!"

Bert chimed in, "You betcha! I was born to kick some tail!"

Everyone else agreed. Charles smiled, before declaring, "All right. It's time we showed the Joker how we do things here in the Toon World. Let's GO!"

And so it begins, the saga of the universe's greatest heroes...the Toon Warriors.


	10. Chapter 9

And now we end things off with a chilling cliffhanger! Stay tuned for the next episode, coming up soon!

**DISCLAIMER**: The characters included in the series belong to Warner Bros., Hanna-Barbera, MGM, Disney, Nickelodeon, Dreamworks, Sega, Nintendo, DC, Marvel, 20th Century Fox, Sony Playstation, and all the rest. Charles Roberts, Alexander Armington II, and other related characters belong to Charles Roberts (a.k.a Dragon222 of DeviantArt). Jennifer Silverfur belongs to me.

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Epilogue

One Month Later...

Shifty Dingo sighed in exhaustion as he made his way back home to the junkyard. His life had been nothing but hell; he grew up in a family who regarded him as a weakling compared to their tough-as-nails attitude, nor did they approve of his friendship with Blinky Bill and the gang.

He stopped once to pull out a photo of his girlfriend of three years, Nutsy Koala, and gazed at it. Nutsy was the only person in Greenpatch who truly understood him and had been a good friend to him ever since they were children. Now that they became a couple, things were starting to look up; emotional wounds were healed and he changed for the better. Someday, when the time is right, he will propose to her.

Along the way, Shifty noticed a strange ball of dark energy glowing within an old trashcan. He had no idea where it came from or how it ended up in there, but its aura seemed to attract him the closer he got to the trashcan. He said, "What's this...?"

No sooner than he had begun to poke at it that the ball engulfed his arm in its sticky black goop. He screamed in pain and fear as the goop spread to parts of his body, covering him all over from bottom to top. It muffled his screams to the point when he can no longer cry for help, and all around him everything went completely silent...

A while later he woke back up, looking the same as always, but deep down inside he felt different. A new sense of self-discovery and rebellion boiled in his soul; he wasn't the nice and friendly Shifty Dingo everyone had known all these years. A mysterious voice, soft and almost unnatural, inspired him to get back at all the people who mistreated him in the past. His mother...his siblings...his old friends...they will pay the price for their actions, in blood.

_"Watch out, Greenpatch," _his now-demonic voice reverberated in the dark. _"You're about to meet the new-and-improved Shifty Dingo!"_

TO BE CONTINUED...


End file.
